Abstract
Marine polyether toxins, mainly produced by marine dinoflagellates, are novel, complex, and diverse natural products with extensive toxicological and pharmacological effects. Owing to their harmful effects during outbreaks of marine red tides, as well as their potential value for the development of new drugs, marine polyether toxins have been extensively studied, in terms of toxicology, pharmacology, detection, and analysis, structural identification, as well as their biosynthetic mechanisms. Although the biosynthetic mechanisms of marine polyether toxins are still unclear, certain progress has been made. In this review, research progress and current knowledge on the biosynthetic mechanisms of polyether toxins are summarized, including the mechanisms of carbon skeleton deletion, pendant alkylation, and polyether ring formation, along with providing a summary of mined biosynthesis-related genes. Finally, future research directions and applications of marine polyether toxins are discussed.
Highlights
Marine polyether toxins, mainly produced by dinoflagellates, are natural polyketide compounds with novel and complex structures, unique biological activities, and extensive pharmacological effects, which have attracted great interest among marine biologists and pharmacologists [1,2]
This review focuses on the latest research progress in carbon skeleton deletion, pendant alkylation, polyether ring formation, and newly discovered genes related to the biosynthesis of marine polyether toxins
The key genes responsible for polyether formation were discovered in all the polyether antibiotic biosynthetic gene clusters, among which epoxidases catalyze the conversion of polyene intermediates to epoxides, and epoxide hydrolases are responsible for the opening of epoxy bonds and the formation of ether rings
Summary
Mainly produced by dinoflagellates, are natural polyketide compounds with novel and complex structures, unique biological activities, and extensive pharmacological effects, which have attracted great interest among marine biologists and pharmacologists [1,2]. The most striking feature of marine polyether toxins is the presence of one or more ether rings in their molecules, with ring sizes ranging from five- to nine-membered rings. OA, which was isolated from dinoflagellate Prorocentrum lima and Dinophysis spp., is widely distributed in coastal seas globally This toxin can lead to diarrhetic shellfish poisoning upon the ingestion of contaminated shellfish by humans [17,18,19]. In addition to their toxicity and harmfulness, marine polyether toxins show special pharmacological activities, with the potential for new drug development or as tools for studying disease-related signaling pathways. This review focuses on the latest research progress in carbon skeleton deletion, pendant alkylation, polyether ring formation, and newly discovered genes related to the biosynthesis of marine polyether toxins
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
